Parametric Caged Roller Bearing V3

thingiverse

The latest version of my print in place parametric caged roller bearing design is now available, featuring numerous enhancements and significantly improved SCAD code. This updated design can be found here: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2529598 To ensure a successful print, it's essential to set up your slicer correctly (consult the print settings). Compared to the original design, creating custom bearings has become much easier since most parameters are now calculated automatically. To customize this bearing, you need to define the following parameters: outer diameter, inner diameter, bearing thickness, tolerances (default values should suffice for most cases), mesh refinement, and select any additional features such as loosening slots. All these parameters can be adjusted manually by accessing the 'Advanced Parameters' tab. If you set any of the 'override' variables to a non-zero value, it will override the calculated parameters with that specific value. Although I've made every effort to ensure the code generates a suitable bearing for various combinations of basic parameters, you may still need to fine-tune it using advanced settings. In terms of functionality, these bearings are best suited for light duty radial loads, such as in my 3kg spool adapter and simple fidget spinner: https://www.thingiverse.com/make:471259. They can also handle axial loads under certain conditions; good tolerances, printing quality, and curved type rollers contribute to this capability. Beyond their practical applications, these bearings are an interesting object to print with some educational value. The bearing's basic design remains the same as previous versions, with a structure similar to the V2 model where the cage bridges cleanly over the rollers entirely (I've removed the V2 design since it's now obsolete). I have added loosening slots to the base of the rollers, allowing you to loosen them using a flathead screwdriver if necessary; usually, this isn't required with good print settings, but it's useful to have. The loosening slots are also recessed into the roller slightly so that the first layer covers the entire roller base, including over the loosening slots. It's relatively easy to push through this thin first layer to reach the slots as shown in the images. I've improved the way the cage bridges over the rollers by introducing the 'cage slice' feature; more details can be found in the customizer. You can also generate separate STLs for the different sections of the bearing (raceways, rollers, and cage) so that you can create multimaterial bearings. Typically, I recommend using a hard material for the rollers and raceways, and a low-friction material for the cage if possible. Although PLA is not bad in this regard, it does suffer from creep under load over an extended period of time. Adding a small amount of silicon lubricant can further improve their performance.